Assocham keen on bringing back Tata Motors to West Bengal

The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) will urge the Trinamool Congress-led West Bengal government to bring Tata Motors back to the State.

Tata Motors relocated its Nano facility from Bengal in the face of the Trinamool-led anti-land acquisition movement.

The company is also engaged in a legal battle, opposing the State government’s bid to ‘take over’ nearly 1,000 acres of project land at Singur.

“We will write a letter to the West Bengal government asking it to bring back Tata to change the image of the State,” Assocham secretary-general, D.S. Rawat told newspersons after a press conference in the city.

Commenting on the development, Kallol Datta, President, Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said such efforts would revive the State’s positive image.

Process

“We also want the State government to pursue some kind of a process to bring back Tata Motors. In fact, we want an out-of-Court settlement of the entire issue. If this happens, investors’ confidence in the State will be restored,” Datta said.

Meanwhile, Assocham announced a five-point strategy to boost industrial growth in West Bengal, including identifying non-fertile land for industries. According to a release, the five-point strategy, which will be submitted to the State government, is aimed at “eliminating the difficulties” faced by entrepreneurs while setting up industries or industrial parks.

Recommendations made by Assocham as part of the strategy include facilitation of “conversion” and “mutation” of industrial land through a nominated government agency within defined time limits, adequate availability of utilities such as water and power near industry sites, and proper identification of project site before preparing a detailed project report.

New Singur Act

Meanwhile, West Bengal Labour Minister Purnendu Basu said on Tuesday that the State Government would frame a “new act for the land losers” at Singur, if the Supreme Court turns down the Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Act, 2011.

The Trinamool Congress-led West Bengal Government moved the Apex court after the Calcutta High Court declared the Act “unconstitutional and void” in June this year.

“If the Supreme Court rejects the Act passed at the State Assembly for the benefit of the land losers in Singur, we will frame a new Act. We are also ready for amendment to the existing Act, if the Apex court orders,” Basu said while addressing a public meeting at Singur.

The Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal Government dispossessed Tata Motors and its vendors from the abandoned Nano project site by invoking the Act. Her Government took this step as part of Banerjee’s promise to return the Singur land to the unwilling farmers.

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